Baker&#39;s oven



March 7, 1939. I Q HATCH 2,149,439

BAKER'S OVEN Filed Oct. 15, 1936 2 Sheets-Sheet 1' I /I O INVEN'fOR.

C. T. HATCH BAKER'S OVEN March 7, 1939.

-2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Oct. 15 1936 ATTORNEYS.

Patented Mar. 7, 1939 Union Steel Mich.

Products Company, Albion,

Application October 15, 1936, Serial No. 105,663

12 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in bakers ovens.

The main objects of this invention are:

First, to provide in a rotary oven oran oven having an endless series oftraveling shelves an improved means for maintaining the shelves in ahorizontal position.

Second, to provide a structure of the class described which is highlyefficient and at the same time is very simple and durable in structure.

Objects relating to details and economies of the invention will appearfrom the description to follow. The invention is defined and pointed outin the claims.

A preferred embodiment of the invention is illustrated -in theaccompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. l is an end elevation of an oven embodying the features of theinvention, parts being shown conventionally for convenience inillustration.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged detail view partially in section on line 22 'ofFigs. 1 and 3.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged detail view partially in section on line 3-3 ofFig. 4.

Fig. 4 is a detail view partially in section on line 4-4 of Figs. 2 and3.

I have illustrated my improvements as embodied inthe type of bakers ovenillustrated in my Patent No. 2,032,751 of March 3, 1936 although forconvenience in illustration certain features in that patent are omitted.I desire to state, however, that my invention is capable of embodimentin other oven structures of the endless conveyor type.

Referring to the drawings, the reference numeral l indicates the casingof the oven having insulated sidewalls 2 and end walls 3. The shaft 4rotatably carries the end members or annular spiders 5 of the conveyorprovided with radial supports'or brackets 6. Suitable means, notillustrated, are provided for driving the shaft.

A plurality of shelves 7 having hangers 8 at the ends thereof arepivotally mounted on the brackets 6 between the'endmembers 5. As in 45,my patent above identified I employ a plurality ""of links 9 which arepivotally connected to the free ends of the arms Ill depending from andfixedly secured to the pivots l l of the shelves. These links functionto minimize the tilting of any individual shelf by connecting it to allof the shelves so that all of the shelves tend to resist tilting of anindividual shelf which may have been loaded inan unbalanced manner or ina manner tending to tilt it. There are, however, certain materials ;;01:instance a relatively fluid cake batter-which when a shelf becomesunbalanced or tilted tends to flow toward the lower edge of the shelfand this shifting of material increases the unbalancing of the shelf andas this is imparted to the several shelves, the unbalancing action maybecome quite decided, and while when. the oven is equipped with theautomatic stop features of my said patent, the oven is stopped when theshelves are tilted to a predetermined degree, the baking may haveproceeded to such an extent that the batter will not return to a uniformthickness until the difiiculty is overcome by the proper balancing ofthe shelves.

To counteract and minimize this tilting action. such as results, forinstance, from the shifting of batter I provide. an annular guide memberor ring l2 which, in the embodiment illustrated, is made up of a sheetmetal web portion 13 to which annular angle iron portions M are secured,one of these constituting a track. This guide ring is mounted on thefree ends of the arms l5 secured to the pivots it of the shelves at theends thereof opposite the arms in and pivots l l. Studs ll extendingthrough the free ends of the arms I5 and the web l3 of the ring providea pivotal connection with the arms to the ring so that the ring is hungupon or supported from the shelf pivots and travels in an orbit when theoven conveyor rotates. It will be seen that when the shelves are shiftedfrom their horizontal position, this guide: member is shifted from itsnormal orbit or tends to beshifted from its normal orbit. To maintain ityieldingly in its normal orbit I provide a pair of rollers I8 which aredisposed oppositely, these rollers being yieldingly supported so thatthe track is in traveling engagement therewith or is adjacent the rollerso that very slight shifting of the guide ring brings it into contactwith one or the other of the rollers.

The rollers I 8 are journaled on the upwardly projecting arms 28 of theangled levers l9, these levers being pivoted at 22. The horizontal arms2| of these levers are supported in normal position by means of the stop23 carried by the brackets 2 on the supporting bars 27 which are boltedto the casingsee Figs. 2 and 3.

The arm 24 of the lever has a Weight suspending rod 25 thereon. Aplurality of nested weights 26 are provided, these weights beingpreferably of elongated shape so as to permit their being arranged inthe restricted space shown in Fig. 2. The weights may be varied asconditions may render desirable.

In Fig. 3, the normal position of the roller and. the counterbalancemechanism therefor is indiits cated in solid lines while it is shown inan actuated or shifted position by dotted lines. It will be seen thatthe centering of the counterbalancing mechanism may yield but that itacts to center or keep the parts in normal position.

The shelves are connected by the links 9 so that the tilting movement ofan individual shelf is resisted by all of them but in the event suchtilting movement does occur as under conditions I have indicated, thisis resisted by the counterbalancing means described.

The structure is highly efficient for the purpose and at the same timethere is no undue strain or wear on the parts as would be present iffixed guide means were present.

I have illustrated and described my improvements in an embodiment whichI have found very practical. I have not attempted to illustrate ordescribe other embodiments or adaptations as it is believed that thisdisclosure will enable those skilled in the art to embody or adapt myimprovements as may be desired.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire. tosecure by Letters Patent, is:

1. In a bakers oven, the combination with a casing, of a rotary conveyorcomprising annular end members, annular series of shelves pivotallysuspended between saidconveyor end members, lever arms connected to thepivots of said shelves at each end thereof, links pivotally connectingthe lever arms at one end of the shelves whereby tilting movement of oneshelf is translated to the other shelves of the. series, an annularcoupling member connecting the arms at the other ends of said shelvesand provided with a track on its inner edge, rollers disposed in opposedrelation to cooperate with said track, pivoted levers having upwardlyprojecting arms on which said rollers are journaled, adjustableweighting means for said levers, and adjustable stops limiting thedownward movement of said levers under the action of their weights.

2. In a bakers oven, the combination with a casing, of a rotary conveyorcomprising annular end members, an annular series of shelves pivotallysuspended between said conveyor end members, lever arms connected to thepivots of said shelves at each end thereof, links pivotally connectingthe lever arms at one end of the shelves whereby tilting movement of oneshelf is translated to the other shelves of the series, anendlesscoupling member connecting the arms at the other ends of said shelves,guide members disposed in opposed relation to cooperate with saidcoupling member, yieldable supports for said guide members, adjustableweighting means for said support, and adjustable stops limiting themovement of said supports under the action of their weights.

3. In a bakers oven, the combination with a casing, of a rotary conveyorcomprising annular end members, an annular series of shelves-pivotallysuspended between said conveyor end members, lever arms connected to thepivots of said shelves at each end thereof, links pivotally connectingthe lever arms at one end of the shelves whereby tilting movement of oneshelf is translated to the other shelves of the series, an endlesscoupling member connecting the arms at the other ends of said shelves,guide members disposed in opposed relation to cooperate with saidcoupling member, and yieldable supports for said guide members.

4. In a bakers oven, the combination of a casing, a conveyor mounted forrotation in said casing and having annular end members spaced from thewalls of the casing, shelves pivoted on said end members, means forconnecting said shelves for uniform tilting movement, comprising armsconnected to the pivots of said shelves at one end of the conveyor andlinks pivoted to the said arms, and means restraining the tiltingmovement of said shelves, comprising arms connected to the pivots ofsaid shelves at the other end of the conveyor, a guide ring connected tothe said last named arms, rollers arranged in opposed relation tocooperate with said ring, levers on which said rollers are journaledpivotally mounted on said casing, adjustable weighting means for saidlevers, and adjustable stops for said levers.

5. In a bakers oven, a rotatable conveyor, a plurality of shelvespivotally carried by said conveyor, means for connecting said shelvesfor uniform tilting movement including a plurality of links operativelyconnected to said shelves at one end of the shelves, and means forlimiting the extent of the pivotal movement, comprising a ringoperatively connected to said shelves at the other end thereof, rollersdisposed to bear against said ring when it is displaced a predeterminedamount from its normal orbit dueto tilting the. shelves, and adjustablycounterbalanced means .for mounting said rollers for limited yieldingbodily movement and acting .to maintain them in a predeterminedposition.

6. In a bakers oven, the combination. of a plurality of shelves,rotatable means for transporting said shelves in said oven, said shelvesbeing pivotally mounted on said means, and means for connectingsai-d'shelves for uniform tilting movement and for limiting the extentof the tilting, comprising arms carried by the shelf pivots, a ringpivotally connected to said arms, bodily shiftable guide membersyieldably disposed substantiallydiametricallyof said ring and acting onsaid ring when it is displaceda predetermined extent from its normalorbit to return and maintain it in its normal orbit, and means toregulate the resistance to displacement of said guide members by saidring.

7. In a bakers oven, the combination with a casing, of an endlessconveyor, a series of shelves pivotally mounted on said conveyor, armsconnected to the pivots of said shelves at each end thereof, linkspivotally connecting the lever arms at one end of the shelves wherebytilting movement of one shelf is translated to the other shelves of theseries, an endless coupling member connecting the arms at the other endsof said shelves, guide members cooperating with said coupling member,and means yieldingly supporting said guide members whereby to yieldablymaintain said coupling member in the orbit in which it travels when theshelves are horizontal.

8. Ina baker s oven, the combination with a casing, of a rotary conveyorcomprising annular end members, an annular series of shelves pivotallysuspended between said conveyor end members, lever arms connected to thepivots of said shelves at one end thereof, an annular coupling memberconnecting said arms and provided with a track on its inner edge,rollers disposed in opposed relation to cooperate with said track,pivoted levers having'upwardly projecting arms on which said rollers arejournaled, adjustable weighting means 'for'said levers, and adjustablestops limiting the downward movement of said levers under the action oftheir weights.

9. In a bakers oven, the combination with a casing, of a rotary conveyorcomprising annular end members, an annular series of shelves pivotallysuspended between said conveyor end members, lever arms connected to thepivots of said shelves at one end thereof, an endless coupling memberconnecting said arms, guide members disposed in opposed relation tocooperate with said coupling member, yieldable supports for said guidemembers, adjustable weighting means for said supports, and adjustablestops limiting the movement of said supports under the action of theirweights.

10. In a bakers oven, the combination of a casing, a conveyor mountedfor rotation in said casing and having annular end members spaced fromthe Walls of the casing, shelves pivoted on said end members, and armsconnected to the pivots of said shelves at one end of the conveyor, aring connected to the said arms, rollers arranged in opposed relation tocooperate with said ring, levers on which said rollers are journaledpivotally mounted on said casing, adjustable weighting means for saidlevers, and adjustable stops for said levers.

11. In a bakers oven, the combination of a casing, a conveyor mountedfor rotation in said casing and having annular end members spaced fromthe walls of the casing, shelves pivotally suspended from said endmembers, arms connected to the pivots of said shelves at one end of theconveyor, links pivoted to the said arms, and arms connected to thepivots of said shelves at the other end of the conveyor, a ringconnected to the said last named arms, and yielding guide means for saidring disposed to act thereon in opposed relation.

12. In a bakers oven, the combination of a casing, a conveyor mountedfor rotation in said casing and having annular end members spaced fromthe walls of the casing, shelves pivotally suspended from said endmembers, arms connected to the pivots of said shelves at one end of theconveyor, links pivoted to the said arms, and arms connected to thepivots of said shelves at the other end of the conveyor, a ringconnected to the said last named arms, and yielding guide means for saidring.

CHARLES T. HATCH.

